Dearly Beloved
by Chiri-tan
Summary: When one mysterious and sorrowful god named Yuugi Mutou descends to Khemet, the kingdom couldn't be more overjoyed. But after a little blunder from the Pharaoh by calling the god "little one", everything changed. The darkness had taken the god away, and Ra have sent two other gods, along with a Thief King and a Tomb Builder to help Atem rescue his little god. BlindGemBronzePuzzle
1. Chapter 1

**Pairings of this story would be as follows:**

**Blindshipping (Atem x Yuugi Mutou)**

**Gemshipping (Thief King Bakura x Ryou Bakura)**

**Bronzeshipping (Yami Malik (Marik) x Malik Ishtar)**

**Critias x Hermos**

**Timaeus x Yuugi**

**(mentioned in the **_**entire **_**story) Puzzleshipping (Yami Yuugi x Yuugi Mutou) **

**(mentioned) Persevereshipping (Duke x Tea)**

**(mentioned) Ardentshipping (Tristan x Serenity)**

**(mentioned) Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler)**

**Okay! This is the **_**longest **_**first chapter I've ever made... I hope you all like it!**

* * *

**Chapter One: The Descend of the Gods.**

**Song to Play: Dearly Beloved -Reprise- - Kingdom Hearts II soundtrack**

_"Yuugi Mutou, son of Hyou and Yuuka Mutou, do you know why you are here?"_

Yuugi listed his head to meet with Ra's radiant glow. Obelisk and Osiris right by his side, smiling at the human in front of them. The tricolor-haired boy smiled back at the gods. "I have died, my Lord." He said, no regret in his voice whatsoever. "Although it somehow surprises me that I'm not in Du'at's Hall of Judgement."

The small human looked around in awe. He knew that he was in Ra's throne of heavens, where the Pharaoh of Ma'at resided. The room was beautifully golden hued, just like how Yuugi always imagined his other self's throne had been before it was reduced into dusty rubbles.

Yuugi had lived his life in fulfillment. He continued with his school in Domino high after the Pharaoh left for the afterlife, becoming one of the Straight As student, got into Domino University, and become an archeologist like his grandfather, who died a year after his graduation. Yuugi had never gotten married, because he realized that nobody will ever complete him the way the Pharaoh had. And Yuugi didn't want to get married with a person who couldn't complete him, it'd be just rude to him and to that person.

Tea, though, had always been faithful to listen to all his problems and happiness. She also chased her dreams all the way to the America, being one of the most celebrated ballerina there. It was a little different from her Broadway dream, but she said she was happy as long as she can dance. Unlike Yuugi, Tea moved on with her love life and found solace with Duke. They both lived happily in New York until the day Yuugi was admitted to the hospital because of his illness, old age.

Yuugi smiled as he remembered the people around his deathbed in his hometown in Domino city. There was Yuugi's energetic blond friend, who was still as happy as ever despite his old age. Joey Wheeler had eventually become one of the most celebrated chef in Japan, owning several restaurants of the highest quality. He eventually found himself swayed in with his long-time archrival's company. Seto-kun had always been the best for Joey, and for that, Yuugi was glad.

Tristan had become an automotive engineer, he'd always love cars and motorcycles and he was living his dream by owning the biggest automotive workshop in Tokyo. He had encouraged Serenity, Joey's sister, to pursue her dreams as well by sponsoring her in one of the swim meets. Now, she's a retired athlete with medals decorating her study _and _the mother of Tristan's triplets.

Ryou had gone to England right after he graduated from Domino High, continuing his studies there in Oxford. He'd become a very famous writer with his smash-hit books titled _The Misadventures of the Thief King_. He was sad about leaving the gang, but couldn't miss the opportunity to spend time with his finally-settling father. But he kept in touch with them.

Malik was also in his deathbed, encouraging him until the end. He was now head of the antiquities in the Egypt's government, succeeding Ishizu who died a few years back from an illness. All in all, Yuugi's death was not a sad one for him. He was grateful to Ra for giving him a meaningful life.

_"Yuugi, we, the Gods, have decided to give you a gift that very few mortals have achieved." _Yuugi instantly perked up, tilting his head in question. Osiris smiled at him. _"Yes, Yuugi. We will let you see Atem once more." _Yuugi's heart melted in happiness as a smile spread on his face. He could see him again? That was incredible! That was great! But...

Yuugi shook his head.

"Mou Hitori no Boku..." he whispered in a voice so full of wisdom that his 16-year-old self didn't have. "He is happy with his family and subjects now. I don't want to intrude his happiness, he has his own happiness, and I have my own." Knowing that the Pharaoh was somewhere in the afterlife with his family had always made Yuugi calm down in the hardest time of his life. And he had zero intention to intrude his life.

_"Ah, that is what we wish to speak about, Yuugi." _Obelisk rumbled softly. _"Atem is no longer in the afterlife. He wished to relive his reign, and we granted that wish." _Yuugi's amethyst eyes widened in surprise. "Oh," was the only thing forming in his mouth.

_"For that reason, we want you to guide him, Yuugi. Atem was not the kindest person before, because he had never meet you. You have seen him before..." _

The human nodded, knowing exactly what the gods were talking about. It was the hardest time to remember in his life. His other self had locked him in his soul room to plunge people who bullied him into the Shadow Realm. He nodded, understanding. "So, what can I do? I'm just a human, after all."

Ra smiled. _"That is our other gift to you, Yuugi. From this day forth, you shall be the God of Kindness and Tranquility. Please guide the Pharaoh of Upper and Lower Khemet in our place."_

Without further questions, Yuugi felt himself disappearing from the golden room.

* * *

High Priest Seth paced around the temple nervously. According to Isis' vision in her Millennium Tauk, a God was supposed to appear in his temple.

Why choose his temple and not the Pharaoh's? That was one of his prominent questions. It stood out more than the why factor of this god's arrival.

"Seth, calm yourself." Isis closed her eyes, her hand fingered the Millennium Tauk instinctively. "The god shall arrive shortly, as my Tauk had shown me." Seth then stilled as he eyed the center of his temple.

Suddenly, a sudden burst of light pierced the ceiling. Seth and Isis then ran to the middle of the temple, reaching for anything that may appear there.

But they certainly didn't expect a young, small boy with hair that was strikingly similar their own Pharaoh to appear. He appeared to be disoriented, as he walked out of the burst of light. He went straight to Seth before collapsing.

The High Priest immediately supported him, letting the god fall to his blue robes. The boy blinked owlishly at him with amethyst eyes that he'd never seen before. "Seto...-kun?" He then lost consciousness.

"Isis, please..." Seth pleaded silently to the Priestess, who then nodded and touched the unconscious boy's forehead.

Seth couldn't help but notice the stark difference between the High Priestess' dark skin and the boy- _god's _own milky white one. The god had similarities with their Pharaoh, but at the same time, there were so many difference. The Pharaoh's hair had three yellow bangs that strike up like proud lightning bolts, while this boy's hair hung limply, and there was a wild strand in this boy's forehead that the Pharaoh didn't have.

The boy's face was rounder than the Pharaoh's angular ones, he also held a very gentle and serene grace instead of the Pharaoh's terrifyingly commanding ones. But Seth thought that it was a given, since this boy was the god of Kindness and Tranquility.

"He is just unconscious, Seth. Now, let us leave this place and tend to him in the palace. The Pharaoh is waiting."

* * *

Atem watched the sleeping boy... _god_ intently.

He was surprised to see the boy's pale skin that contrasted everyone in his Lands. There was a glow emanating from him in silent grace, he radiated kindness and tranquility... somehow.

There was something about this god. Something he couldn't fathom. Something that tugged his heart in a way he never knew. Just seeing this god sleeping soundly on the bed had made him feel somehow... safe and complete. He knew this god. But how...?

It had been fourteen of Ra's arising since Isis and Seth brought the god in the palace. The entire Sacred Guardians had seen him, some recoiling from his different skin, and some looked at him in reverence. The Pharaoh was somewhere in the middle, although he leaned on the latter. The sleeping god had looked so content in Seth's arms, as if he trusted Seth. He had Isis told him of everything she saw, and she told him that the first word that the god had said during his arrival was a name that sounds very much like Seth's.

And so, the Pharaoh watched as the god breathes in and out. His lips was slightly parted from the breath he was taking and he didn't show any sign of waking up.

"My lord..." Atem turned to see Siamun, his father's most trusted vizier. The old man looked worriedly at him, as if he was a mere child tending to a late-night activities. "Siamun," Atem acknowledged before turning his gaze back to the ethereal god.

"You need to sleep, my lord. You barely leave this chamber, after all..."

Atem ignored him. It was true that he spent much of his time here, in the room where the air seems to be a little bit cooler and the atmosphere was so much lighter, as if adjusting to the god's presence. The palace was always a little bit cooler than the deserts, but no room had come close to this room's... serenity.

"Leave me, Siamun." Atem asked as he kept his gaze on the god's sleeping form. "I... want to be the first person to speak to him after he awakens. I know naught of him, and I also want to know why he seems to trust Seth." His tone made no room for argument. Siamun nodded reluctantly, but then he did as he was asked.

When Siamun left, Atem braved himself to sit on the bed where the god is sleeping. His healers had come to check on him, all saying that they knew nothing of the god's prolonged sleep. Atem grew frustrated.

The Millennium Pendant glowed softly, as if reacting to Atem's frustration. But then, he realized that it wasn't so.

The Millennium Pendant glowed because the god had started to stir himself awake, not because of Atem's emotion. The god blinked owlishly and stare at his own fingers before turning his amethyst-colored gaze to Atem's own crimson.

Atem had never seen such a beautiful hue of color before. Amethyst was definitely one of the precious stones he had studied when he was a boy, but he had never seen it before. The light color had radiated innocence, something that Atem was not familiar of. Even Mana, his dearest friend, did not have such pure innocence in her usually energetic forest-green.

The god's pale hand reached Atem's face in a very soft and gentle notion. "Mou Hitori no..." his voice sounded like a melodic chirp of birds. But before it could reach Atem's face, he showed him a very sad smile before retreating his hand. The god shook his head with a very sad expression. And somehow, Atem felt the need to turn around. He did not like seeing the god's sad face.

"Welcome to Khemet, o god of Kindness and Tranquility," Atem greeted as he got out of the bed silently. There was a spark of loneliness in the god's wide amethyst eyes, but it disappeared almost immediately. "My name is-"

"Pharaoh Atem, son of Pharaoh Aknamkanon, beloved child of Ra and the Lord of Upper and Lower Khemet. I know..." The god had a very serene smile on his face, but Atem could still hear the sadness in his voice. "I am pleased to welcome you to my kingdom, o god of Kindness and Tranquility. We have received visions from Ra that you will be the savior of Khemet."

Another smile graced the god's lips as he gently patted Atem's hair with his pale and frail-looking hand. "I am merely someone of no importance," he said as he placed his equally pale feet to the stone floor underneath them. "_You _shall be the savior of Khemet. I am here merely on my selfish desire driven by my own weakness." There was severe regret lacing the god's voice, but Atem was far more startled by the fact that this god had actually _touched _him.

Granted, nobody could touch the Pharaoh unless those he permits to and the gods themselves. But this... _boy_ who had such a calm aura to do it was...

"I am not worthy of your words, o God of Kindness and Tranquility." Atem was not a person who was born to sing praises to other people. Because after all, he was the person who would be praised upon his entire life, there wasn't a need for him to sing praises.

But the boy- _god_ in front of him was no _people_. He was an entity, a god entrusted to his kingdom by Ra Himself. No matter how human-like this boy was, Atem was lower than him.

There was a slight frown on the pale god's face, as if he was displeased about something. But then it quickly returned to another kind smile. "I am Yuugi," Yuugi? Such a foreign word... "I am no god. I wish to be addressed with my name." Even when he was convincing Atem that he was not a god, the ethereal glow emanating from his pale body seemed to disagree with him.

But nevertheless...

"_Yuugi..._" The name felt so right in his tongue. It rolled of, translating itself to a word in his own language. _Heba_. _Game_.

The god shivered as he spoke his name. Why though? Why had the god looked like he was going to cry?

"Y-yes..." He stammered, very unbecoming of a god. "Pleased to meet you... Pharaoh."

* * *

Seth watched as the god of Kindness and Tranquility lied carelessly atop of the stone near the fountain. His hands stretched upright, as if he was trying to reach the stars above them.

One week had passed ever since the god woke up in the Pharaoh's presence. Nobody knew what had transpired between them, but it somehow changed the Pharaoh.

His king has always felt somehow... angry and empty. The Pharaoh left no room for anyone to enter his heart. He held respect for everyone in the Court, but never anything personal. In fact, it was hard to see the Pharaoh outside of the working hours. But nowadays, Seth could see that their Pharaoh was trying to be more... _kinder_.

It was no secret that it was the work of one god of Kindness and Tranquility. Almost everybody in the palace now held him in high regards because not only he was a god, He- _Yuugi _was kind and benevolent. If it weren't for his pale skin and the ethereal glow that he always seemed to radiate, everyone would have think that he was just a human. An innocent, kind, and tranquil human.

But it seemed that a few slaves that passed his chamber during the night had heard him sing a very sorrowful tone dedicated to a person, or god, named Yami.

Seth himself was an object of curiosity. The mystery surrounding the mysterious god were too much for anyone to handle, after all. So he purposefully made a wrong turn to pass the god's chamber. He sung an unfamiliar lyric-less melody, and yet it made Seth's tears leaked from his eyes. And before every song, the god would say to whom he tribute it to, and the name 'Yami' was always the first.

The god's normally cheerful and wise voice were replaced with ethereally beautiful melody that seems to know nothing but requiem. Sadness. Regret. All ugly emotions that had resided within criminals of Khemet in the shape of evil Ka... the god had transformed them into a very beautiful song.

"You are quiet today, Seth..." The god snapped him out of his reverie. He didn't look at Seth, his eyes were still transfixed in the stars above them. "Is there something wrong?" It was flattering to hear such concern from a god. Even though Yuugi was always kind to everyone in his presence, Seth always knew that he was treated somewhat special.

"I was just thinking about how mysterious you are." Seth answered bluntly, earning a burst of laughter from the small god. "What do you want me to tell you, Seto-kun?" Seth narrowed his eyes as the god giggle like a child. At times, Seth noticed that the god will call him with a different name, but he will look so much happier, so Seth didn't inquire more.

"If you don't mind me asking, how old are you, Yuugi?" Normally, no god would ever allow him to refer to this casually. But Yuugi smiled to him appreciatively. "I'm... about 84, no... 85 years? Yeah, 85." Seth was rather startled. Yuugi was the epitome of a child, he looked about 13 summers instead of long 85. It reminded the High Priest that the boy before him was no child. That explains why Yuugi held so much wisdom in that seemingly frail body.

"You reminded me so much of him, Seth..." The god mused to himself. "Seto-kun..." But then he mumbled away in a language that Seth didn't comprehend. It was foreign and it was beautiful, probably because Yuugi was the one who spoke it, but the language sounded beautiful anyway.

"I was supposed to guide him..." Seth turned as he heard the god mumbled to himself. "But how can I do it when seeing his face reminds me so much of..." The god buried his face on his palms. "Yami...!" This one was a desperate whisper. "It's been more than 60 years since he left me, Seto-kun..." A broken sob. "Why can't I just... _move on? _Why?! Why does it tear me so much when I'm with _him?!_" Seth tried to approach the boy, only to have the god explode into particles of light.

Seth was startled. He frantically looked around the courtyard, but a few minutes later, the usual heartbroken requiem sounded throughout the castle. Seth frowned, but closed his eyes and let the melodies embrace him.

* * *

The song had sounded.

Atem looked up from his throne, snapping out of his tranquil attempts to ignore a rambling peasant in front of him. And the peasant too, looked up from his long speech about thieves. "What is that?" He asked, rather uncouthly.

Siamun whispered a warning murmur of 'Pharaoh' to him immediately, thinking that he had lost track of the conversation. Atem closed his eyes before exhaling, making the peasant stiffen in his place.

"The god of Kindness and Tranquility has sung for the Goddess Nut. I think it is time for you to leave." Atem dismissed the man and left his throne, ignoring the bumbling Siamun behind him.

When he was alone, Atem rested his back to the stone wall and rubbed his own temple. The song reminded him of something... no, _reminded him of something _was not the correct term. It made him feel _nostalgic_.

But why? And most importantly, _how?_ He had never heard this kind of melody before the god sung it for the first time a few Ra's journey ago. But it made his heart ache with loneliness...

Unable to contain his curiosity, Atem decided to go. He wanted- _needed _to ask Yuugi about it. The god had always treated everything around him with kindness, so it was normal for absolutely _everyone _to seek his company. But there were three people that Atem noticed the god had treated slightly different from the others.

The first one would be Teana, the head harem dancer and the not-so-secret lover of one of the soldiers placed in the border patrol duty Hiroto. Yuugi would always show a glimmer of gratitude and faith whenever he spoke with her. And the second would be the most obvious, Seth. Yuugi seemed to trust Seth more than anyone else he had encountered. Given Seth's fearsome reputation of being one of the cruelest High Priests, this had confused Atem. But he accepted that the god seemed to be somewhat more... _humane _around Seth.

The last one would be himself. He was also treated kindly, but Yuugi would reprimand him if he was wrong, phrasing his words like he was just voicing his opinion while in actuality he was guiding Atem throughout his judgments for his people. _Be kinder, see yourself in their eyes. _Yuugi had taught him that.

But the way he looked at him... Yuugi's normally kind, tranquil, wise, and cheerful amethyst eyes swam with so many emotions that Atem could not comprehend no matter how much he tried. There was gratitude, regret, admiration, sadness, _regret_, and even sometimes... _love_.

Atem did not know what Yuugi felt for him, but he was slowly finding himself wooed by the god's silent determination. Atem, the widely-known merciless ruler of Khemet, found himself falling in love...

The ruler of Khemet then found himself in front of the door to the god's sacred chamber. He stood silently, listening to the last stanza of the wordless melody fade into silence. Atem touched the door, his heart aching for _something _he could not explain.

"Who is there?" The god's voice chimed melodiously. Atem opened the door silently as he faced the amethyst-eyed god let out a startled noise. But then he resumed his usual calm demeanor again. "Evening, morning star." Atem found himself being wooed by the way Yuugi seemed to use his many titles with such a caressing gentleness. "What can I do for you?" He asked humbly, unbefitting for a god.

"That song..." He could see Yuugi's body stiffen a little. "It was beautiful, little one." How the title of endearment came out of his lips was a mystery to Atem. It had been how his mind referred to the little god sometimes, but he had never sounded it out loud. The reaction had been instantaneous. Yuugi's eyes narrowed with sadness and water had flowed from his sad amethyst eyes.

He turned away from Atem, facing to the endless night sky in front of him. The Pharaoh could see his little back quaking in a horrifying silence.

Had he insult the little god?

"Yuugi... I apologize. 'Tis not my intention to offend you." Atem breathed out slowly as he felt his heart tearing itself. _Apologize. Now. In front of him, you are not a King. You are a mere human. You need to apologize._

But Yuugi turned to him, and Atem certainly didn't expect the god to be reduced into tears. "It's been 60 years... since anybody called me that..." Atem could faintly hear the word 'Yami' coming from Yuugi's incoherent breathing, but he dared not to ask. "_He-_" The god sounded so broken that Atem thought that he was choking the word. "_He _was the one who made me who I am today. _He _taught me strength. _He _taught me about life. _He _taught me _everything_. And yet... I can't even face _you_. I think that after 60 long years without him... I can do it. I can meet _him _again with a proud smile on my face and guide _him _into the man that he was supposed to be... But..."

Suddenly, Atem could feel foreign darkness creeping into his domain. But he didn't know where it came from. He was stunned by the sight of a god so kind and wonderful breaking down in front of him. Yuugi was a mumbling mess, and it didn't feel right to see a god of Yuugi's caliber to be so _sad_.

"I want to disappear..." The darkness grew stronger, and Atem's heart felt like it was going to melt from the sound of Yuugi's voice alone. "I failed the gods... I failed Ra... I failed myself... and most important of all..." Yuugi looked up to him, his ethereal glow was now shining violently. "I failed _him_."

"Yuugi!" Atem exclaimed as the light burst out violently from Yuugi's entire being, leaving the boy unconscious. Atem reached for the light without thinking, but a burst of emerald-tinted darkness swallowed it before he could reach for it.

Atem then reached for the falling god, but then the darkness captured him. And from Atem could see a man with a hair that was very much like his own, only with sea-green tips instead of crimson at the end and a silver lightning bangs instead of golden. He captured the sleeping god firmly in his hands, smiling as he did so.

"Release him!" Atem shouted, readying his Dia Diahnk. But the figure who looked very much like him only smiled mockingly. "Why thank you, _Pharaoh_." Sea-green eyes met with burning crimson in a heated battle of determination, but Atem's eyes immediately diverted to the sleeping god in the stranger's arms. He instantly felt defeated.

"I have sensed him ever since he appeared in your Lands a week ago. He holds the key to resurrect my people and I had needed his light-filled soul. Thank you for breaking him, Pharaoh. His light is exactly what I need..."

Atem was stunned into silence as the stranger placed a chaste kiss on the god's temple. "Don't worry, I will keep him happy. I will provide him with a safe place where he could sleep and be adored for all eternity. You should come visit him sometimes." Atem raised his arm, attempting to summon his shadow beast. But the stranger then snapped his fingers and he flew away to the stone walls.

"Nuh-uh. Don't do that. Now come, _Yuugi_, let us go to your new home." The sleeping god showed no sign of waking. "Yuugi...!" Atem whispered desperately. But as his consciousness fade, he didn't hear any response. He could see the stranger, Yuugi, and the radiant light that had belonged to Yuugi, went away to the darkness.

But a very small glimmer of light had stayed behind with the unconscious Pharaoh, as if it _knew _that its home... was with this darkness.

* * *

Ryou Bakura had lived a fulfilling life.

He managed to snatch the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in such a young age and had made the list of best-selling author. The Misadventures of Thief King was a really smash-hit, laced with ancient historical fact, brit sassiness, and some heavily implied gay romance in a form of intense bromance between the Thief and his Healer friend.

That was why he was rather surprised to see himself in a the throne of gods in his death. He had died in accident, and he didn't have any regrets. In fact, he was rather looking forward to see Yuugi again. The guy was his best friend in life and hopefully, in death as well.

And he was also surprised to see Malik here with him. The guy had little regrets, all of them went away like a water vapor when Yami forgave him for what he's done in the Battle City tournament almost 6 decades back. And the energetic Egyptian had been with living his life rigorously since then, not wanting to regret anything.

Malik had been in the car with him, the two of them refused Kaiba-kun's offer to go with him and took the car Malik had rented himself to go away from the hospital where Yuugi died.

They both mourned. Joey and Tea may have been Yuugi's longest friend. But Malik and Ryou were fellow hikaris. Granted that they didn't have an intense bromance (Read: gay romance) with their yamis, but they knew how it feel to have your darker half ripped away from you.

Maybe that was the reason why Malik was so distracted and hit a massive truck, killing them both instantly.

"Hey... are we supposed to give our hi to the god before leaving for the afterlife?" Ryou asked Malik, who frowned. "Of course not! We were supposed to go to the Hall of Judgement, get our sins balanced, and then go to either heaven or hell! Why are we in throne of gods?!"

_"Rise, dear lights." _Both Ryou and Malik instantly rise to their feet to see the gods looking at them with a barely suppressed anxiety on their faces. _"We have summoned you here for a reason. We have not much time, so I will simplify it for you. Your fellow light had been swallowed by darkness-"_

"No way! Yuugi won't _ever _succumb into darkness!" Malik retorted hotly. Ryou nodded. Yuugi? Swallowed by darkness? What a lot of bollocks!

_"He... had been stolen by the darkness. Yuugi was swallowed by his regret for not telling the Pharaoh about his true feelings and the guilt he had for not being able to face that Atem was not Yami..." _Osiris had been the one to talk. Malik and Ryou could hear waves of sadness within Osiris' voice.

That had sounded like Yuugi. His darkness came from his humility... Yuugi was a true hikari.

"What can we do for him?" Ryou asked. He knew that if the gods had called them, there must be something they can do to bring Yuugi back. Ra exhaled deeply before standing up from his golden throne.

_"Become gods! Descend upon the ancient past and retrieve your fellow light from the darkness! This is an order!"_

"Even if it isn't an order, we'll still go to save him!" Malik retorted. And Ryou nodded, determination glimmering in both lavender and brown eyes. The gods smiled.

_"Then I order you to descend. Ryou, god of wit and intelligence, and Malik, the god of fire and chivalry!"_

Both former mortals then felt themselves tore away from the golden throne of gods. It was agonizing, but it was worthwhile. They both watched as the clothes they wore diminished, replaced with a very soft and silky white shenti and shirt. They were adorned with gold and jewelries, and they turn younger... just like the days they would try and save the world.

But then they appeared in a very dark tunnel with no source of light at all except for a lantern held by a boy with dark lavender eyes and spiky hair that pointed to all direction.

Ryou immediately turned to Malik, who looked like he'd just seen a ghost.

"Aw damn! When I say I summon the god of fire, I was expecting some kind of a horned demon who would burn the place up the moment he appeared!"

"Same here, Marik." This time, Ryou was the one who paled. That gruff voice and condescending manner of talking... he couldn't be wrong...!

"When I say I wanna summon the god of wit, I was expecting a crafty old sod who knew everything about thieving. Not some wimpy-looking girly boys like them!"

When Ra told them to save Yuugi... he didn't tell them that they were going to be summoned by their own yamis. Neither of them expected to find the very people who managed to scare them, and yet complete them at the same time...

But for Yuugi, they will have to make it.

* * *

**The melody Yuugi sang is Dearly Beloved, Kingdom Hearts' soundtrack. This entire fic is a tribute for that song. Listen to the Reprised one, or whichever version that makes you the most sad.**

**Yes yes I made Timaeus the villain of this story. God I just love him in every fic he's been mentioned. He should be used more often! I like Dartz, but watching the abridged series makes me lose all seriousness about his character XD **

**Please, please, **_**please **_**review. Tell me what you like or don't like. I need the reviews because this is the first story that I actually read with plots. The others are just like... hobbies. (Except A Dark Silence, that one is also a brainchild not a hobbychild) **


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Truth and Reminiscence. **

**Song to Play: Ventus' Theme - Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep**

"C'mon Marik, if I don't get to meet the crafty old sod, I'm just going to leave." Ryou watched as his dark counterpart went away. Yami Malik- _Marik _was looking at Malik with wide and unblinking dark lavender eyes. "Hey Bakura, he looks just like me! But he's glowing!" Marik put down the lantern he was holding on the sand before prodding to Malik shamelessly.

Malik's face turned into a shade of red before his entire body burst on fire, making him look like an authentic god of fire. _"Don't touch me!" _Malik hissed, his entire sentence sounded like it was sizzling hot. Ryou watched with both amusement and silent understanding. This was the real deal. Judging from Malik's fiery body and the ethereal-looking glow from his skin, they were both truly gods now.

"Whoa! Now _that's _what I'm talking about!" Marik chirped like an excited bird. Ryou had missed this. It had been a long time ever since he experienced cheerfulness. He had had a great life, yeah, but it was one of solitude. Like Yuugi, Ryou found comfort in it, but he also thought that it'd be nice if he had someone to be cheerful for him.

Cheerfulness had been a rarity in Oxford, after all.

"Marik get out of there you bloody idiot!" Bakura said as he pulled the slightly shorter boy away from Malik's line of sight. Bakura... _that _Bakura was offering protection? The entire world must've gone mental!

"Malik, stop that. We have more pressing matters to deal with." Indeed they have. Ryou could feel it. He could map out alignments of powers whenever he closed his eyes. Was it because of the fact that he was the god of intelligence now? Intelligence could mean lots of things, after all. It could mean information, it could mean mind power, it could mean knowledge...

Ryou had become a living know-it-all, literally.

Whenever he blinked, he could feel three lights burning so vividly. But the shortest one, the one with amethyst fire was flickering. The other two were fine, so they must be representing Malik and Ryou himself.

"Who the fuck are you?" Bakura asked, as crudely as Ryou remembered him to be all those decades ago. Malik had wanted to speak, but Ryou stretched his hand and handled it. "My name is Ryou, and I am the god of wit and intelligence. This is my friend and fellow god, Malik, the god of fire and chivalry." As if to emphasize Ryou's point, Malik snapped his finger and made the lightless corridor lit with fire. Marik beamed.

"Oh Ra yes! My job was to lit _every single _one of this! Thank you, fire god!" Marik beamed with an enthusiasm that seemed foreign for both Malik and Ryou. Was this person... the same creature Malik had created out of sheer pain and loneliness? It seemed unlikely. While Bakura had been predictably apprehensive and snappy, Marik had been unpredictably curios and... happy.

Malik seemed to be startled by this as well.

But then Ryou shook his head, feeling the amethyst fire flickering even more as he did so. He gasped. "Malik, please, we don't have much time. Yuugi's life is flickering!" Malik looked at him, seemingly confused. But there was no other word Ryou can use to describe the dimming light of the amethyst fire he saw whenever he blinked.

"Hey," Malik turned to Bakura, who leaned casually to the cave's rocky walls. "Can you take us to the palace?" This question made Ryou tilt his head. They were gods. They could just teleport there. Why would there be a need for them to take their yamis with them? Won't it be painful for even Malik himself? Ryou knew how much Malik feared his yami before, after all. Even when he looked different, there was the possibility of Malik being afraid again, right?

He sighed. Even when he's already the god of intelligence, he still had curiosity of cat with nine lives.

"No can do. Bakura here had to dig up _all _the traps that were laid here and replace them with new ones. My job's to light all the fire, so I'm all good." Marik smirked to the god of fire, who turned his face away. Ryou rolled his eyes, although he was rather confused to why he did that.

"So if it's done, you'll take us to the palace?" The white-haired god asked, directing his soft brown eyes to the apprehensive lavender. Bakura... _this _Bakura's eyes were lavender, unlike his feared yami, and that much had differentiate Ryou's opinion of him. But as he felt the amethyst fire going dimmer and dimmer, Ryou clenched his fists.

"Fine." His skin glowed even more, as if signifying his impatience. Ryou stretched out his hand, his godly instinct taking over him as he focused on his own light instead of Yuugi's or Malik's. _"Things made from mortal's intellect, from the earth you may erect. Heed the orders from your Sovereign, the god of wit and intellect!" _Suddenly, hundreds of traps rose from the ground, obeying Ryou's order.

"Whoa!" Malik exclaimed, surprised by his friend's display of power. Marik looked around the traps in awe. None of them activated though they were out in the open, as if they had a will to not hurt the one who had summoned them.

Ryou closed his eyes, willing the traps to change their mechanisms into a new one before snapping his fingers, reburying them in the exact same place they had emerged in a blink of an eye.

"Done. Can we go now?" Ryou asked, directing his gaze to the tanned version of his yami. He was afraid no longer, he was a god now. If this person tried to hurt him, he can always fight back.

But when Bakura smirked at him, Ryou's heart was overwhelmed by swarms of emotion he didn't recognize. Fear, perhaps?

"You're good." Bakura said as he walked closer to Ryou.

"Why thank you," Ryou bit back, trying to hide the quiver in his voice. The tanned Bakura was really freaking him out.

"I'm Bakura Akefia, a tomb builder from the Akefia family. Also known as Trap King Bakura and-"

"Thief King Bakura!" Marik sauntered as he casually put a hand around Bakura's shoulder. "I'm Marik Akefia, same tomb builder from Akefia family. I light the torches." He said with a smile, sending Malik further down into a road full of confusion.

"Let us take you to the palace, Ryou and Malik!

* * *

Loneliness was a foreign word for the Pharaoh.

No, not because he didn't know it. It was precisely because he _lived _with it for 17 summers that he didn't need the word to identify what he was feeling. He didn't need to know the word loneliness for him to feel it. But right now, at the moment, he was slowly savoring the word that had been so foreign to him all this years...

He was lonely.

Normally, by this hour, the Pharaoh would be in his quarters- gazing at the stars as the beautiful requiem filled his empty heart. He was always curios of the person the god of Kindness of Tranquility devoted his song to. But the Pharaoh knew that asking that to Yuugi was like he was trying to tear off the god's last shred of sanity. It happened earlier. Although Atem did not understand why Yuugi had cried when he called him little one, he was rather convinced that it was because _Atem _had reminded him of _that person_.

_He _must've the one who broke the little god. Was it because of something of malice? Or was it because he was utterly beloved by the god of Kindness and Tranquility?

No. Impossible. It was unthinkable for someone like Yuugi to even harbor a grudge. It was _stupid _of him to even think of that.

The Pharaoh sat idly on his throne, absently hearing the chaos that erupted outside his throne room caused by the disappearance of a certain god. Atem had ordered his men to search, without alarming the citizens, of course. But so far, it was nil.

Suddenly, the holder of Millennium Tauk, Isis had came to the throne room. The Pharaoh had dismissed his Court to conduct their own searches, but if she had come to him...

"Has the Tauk bless you with a vision, Isis?" Atem asked, hope never fading from his voice.

A frown marred Isis' face as she silently shook her head. "I am sorry, my lord. But... my vision does not show me what you desire. I have been shown... something else." Atem raised an eyebrow. "Does it concern the god of Kindness and Tranquility?" Because really, he didn't really want to know anything else but the wellbeing of the little god. Isis nodded. "In a way, my Pharaoh, yes. My Tauk has shown me a vision about it. Our Lord Ra had sent two gods along with their companions to help you recover the missing light." But before Isis could continue her vision, there was a strong beam of light coming from the ceiling above them.

Isis took a protective stand in front of the Pharaoh, who watched as the scene unfold before him.

Four people had emerged from that beam of light. Two of them were one of his people, but the other two were most definitely gods.

The two of them were dressed similarly to Yuugi, and they emanated the same ethereal glow. There were also differences in the air though.

The first god was white-haired, pale-skinned, and brown-eyed. He carried the aura of someone who was even wiser than Siamun or his father. The second god had a perfectly bronze skin, white hair, and lavender eyes. Atem could smell flames from this god.

"Holy Ra! That was so awesome!" The mortal who looked rather identical to the bronze god exclaimed dreamily. "Can we do it again, Malik?" He asked enthusiastically at the bronze god, whose eyes went directly to Atem in wide and accusing glare.

"YOU!" He shouted, malice and anger dripping so vehemently from his voice that the Pharaoh flinched. "Malik, calm down..." The pale god warned calmly. But then the bronze god pushed his look-alike mortal away before bursting into flames.

The effect was rather instantaneous. Atem could feel heat radiating to his stone walls and throne. "BECAUSE OF _YOU_! YUUGI-!"

"Malik." The pale god emitted a very dangerous silver glow. He shook his head solemnly, earning a grunt from the god of fire. "I... I need some time alone." Malik then turned away before jumping off the balcony just next to his throne room, turning into a very bright and majestic phoenix.

The spiky-haired mortal counterpart of the said god frowned. "I'll try and bring him back. C'mon Bakura." As the spiky-haired boy left, the rougher-looking white-haired boy looked at his lookalike god, who nodded. "Go, make sure Marik don't set the place on fire." There was a proud 'hmph', but the boy left anyway.

The only god left in the room looked towards both Atem and Isis in a calm yet dangerous grace. His soft brown eyes went to Isis' own sapphire, the god's lips formed a smile. "Never in my lifetime I thought I'll be able to see you again, Ishizu-san," he sighed, almost adoringly, at Isis. But then he shook his head. "But that's not what I'm here for." He fixed his gaze at Atem again, unwavering determination flickered bravely.

Not many people dared to look at Atem right at his eyes, so it had startled the living Horus a little. Not even _Yuugi _dared to stare directly at him like this.

"My name is Ryou, and I am the god of wit and intellect. The other god who was with me is Malik, the god of fire and chivalry. We are sent here after we were told that the darkness had stolen our friend." The god sighed. "And please forgive Malik for his temper earlier. He is a little bit overprotective of his friends. Yuugi is very beloved amongst us gods, you see?" Atem didn't doubt it. Yuugi treasured anyone and anything he met, there's no way that a god like that is not beloved.

"I do not mind." Atem answered. The god of wit intellect nodded, but then he looked around the throne room. "I was told that the darkness has stolen my friend away. Care to tell me _how _it happened?" Atem tensed. This god knew... this god knew about Atem's blunder... somehow.

And so Atem elaborated. He told the god everything, not excluding any details. Aside from the fact that the god would probably know if he had been lying, he also felt curious as to why the little god had cried. Who was the person who had made him grieve so? Atem wanted to know.

The pale god frowned as he crossed his arms, trying to think hard. "Emerald-tinted darkness... now _where _have I heard that..." He paced around the room. "Oh screw this." He stretched his hand and a really thick book appeared in his hands. "Emerald-tinted darkness... what is that..."

Atem couldn't help but marvel at the god's silvery aura. The god of intellect appeared frail, like Yuugi, but held so much cold wisdom. It occurred to him then. The three gods he had met, Yuugi, Ryou, and Malik, all held a perfect well-balanced team. Yuugi was kind, he won't hurt _anything _even if he was provoked. He was a healer. Ryou was intelligent, he would plan the entire operation with his endless intellect. He was the strategist. Malik was powerful, he could burn his enemies in matters of seconds and will protect both Yuugi and Ryou. Suddenly, Atem understood why these two gods were the ones who descended when Yuugi disappeared.

"I got it now," Atem swore that he saw the god's eyes were silver instead of brown. "Orichalcos... have you heard of it?"

* * *

His surroundings were dark.

Yuugi trembled, suddenly not liking where he was. The last time he was trapped in a darkness like this was when Yami had locked him inside his soul room all those decades ago, but he still felt the chill and sheer fear.

Yuugi looked to himself. He was smaller, even smaller than his teenage years, the form he had taken the moment he'd become the god of Kindness and Tranquility. He looked no older than 7 years old.

"Where... am I?" He asked himself dumbly, only to hear his own voice echoing back to his ears. The god shuddered as he walked around the empty void.

After what seemed to be hours, he was met with a metallic door. An utterly familiar metallic door. The one that disappeared into oblivion the moment his Puzzle was swallowed by the earth. This door was...

Yuugi took a deep breath. No way. It had been _years _since he saw this door. This could very well be his own hallucination, after all.

But then the door opened, as if inviting him to enter. Yuugi gulped as he blindly reached out to the door, holding its cold doorknob like he had the first time he tried to talk to Yami. His heart was pounding so loudly within his chest. He thought he won't be feeling this kind of thrill anymore now that he was a god. Nevertheless, here he was, now seven year old again, venturing to a door that was so familiar...

Little Yuugi entered the door, and he was greeted by thousands of doors. For others, the sight of such a big maze would have intimidated them, but too Yuugi, he felt like he could burst into tears. _This _was the Yami he knew. _This _was _him_.

Granted, Atem _was __**him **_but Atem _isn't __**him**_.

He took a deep breath and outstretched his hand. _Guide me_... he whispered solemnly.

_"Come here, Aibou."_

Yuugi instantly lit up. His body shivered as he heard the voice that had been his salvation. He had loved him so much. So, _so _much. He loved him. Why had he let him go...?

_To achieve his happiness. Dead people shouldn't stay behind. _Yuugi's rational mind echoed back as he walked the stairs. It was like his feet knew where to go, and it wouldn't surprise him if it did. _But I returned, didn't I? I died, but I stayed behind. I regretted. I was weak. _Another part of him answered.

_"Silly Aibou. You wanted to see me, there is nothing wrong with that." _A deep, mirth, and amused chuckle echoed within his head. It wiped everything from Little Yuugi's mind. He walked as fast as his little feet could carry him. _Where are you? _He asked, impatient.

_"Come here, Aibou, I'm here."_

Yuugi didn't know where he was going, but he kept on going. When he reached the highest door, he panted slightly, amethyst eyes curiously peering over another metallic door that stood proudly in front of him.

The little boy jumped slightly to reach the doorknobs. Yuugi wondered how he had shrunk again, this time to 5 year old's body, but soon, none of that mattered. _Nothing mattered_.

Wide and unblinking amethyst met with a very amused crimson. _There _he was. The only person who could complete him. The _only person _who could _understand_ him. A darkness to his light. Sitting on a stone throne was a man who looked like him in his university days. He didn't change at all. He was still clad in leather, still had the lightning bangs, and still sported the proud look. It was him. _Yami_.

The little boy squealed, cried, ran, and jumped to the man's lap. He could hear soft, yet proud, baritone utter soothing words to him. "Yami..." Yuugi whined as he buried his face on the man's chest. "_Yami..._" He breathed out in sheer happiness.

"I missed you, Aibou." Yami gently cupped the little five year old's cheeks as he pecked the little god's forehead. "Nothing can separate us now." He assured Yuugi. The boy smiled brightly at him. "Uhn, Yami... I'll do _anything _to stay with you..." His voice shook slightly. Yami smiled at him. "I know you will, Aibou."

As Yuugi snuggled to Yami's chest, amethyst eyes lost its vibrant light, replaced with a pair of dull ones. But the reason they were dull... was not because of anything negative. It was dulled with love, admiration, and _blind trust_.

"Aibou," Yami spoke, and Yuugi didn't even move from his spot. "Can you flood the nile river? The citizens over there haven't had enough water for a while." Without even doubting Yami's words, Yuugi willed the Nile to rise, unknowingly flooding some of the citizen's houses.

Yami smirked. "Thank you, Aibou."


End file.
